distaff

Kenyans have won the last four men’s races in Boston and three straight in the distaff division.

But this year, the attention is on the 50th anniversary of the first women’s race, a milestone that is complicated by the thorny history of the distaff division.

She has settled in as a dominant force in distaff sprint races and will be well supported by the bettors.

Then spinning as they ever did, twirling the distaff and twisting the thread of destiny, they sang,

The 12 songs below — obscure singles, deep cuts and near misses — reveal a hidden history of distaff pop.